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Let $p: E \rightarrow B$ a fiber fundle with fiber $F$. I'd like to prove that if $U$ is a good-cover of $B$ then the Euler characteristic, that I denote with $\chi$ is $\chi(E)= \sum_{p,q}\sum_{\alpha_{0}, \cdots, \alpha_{p}} (-1)^{p+q}\dim H^{q}(p^{-1}(U_{\alpha_{0} \le \cdots le \alpha_{p}}))$. Then deduces from this fact that $\chi(E)=\chi(F)\chi(B)$.

ArthurStuart
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1 Answers1

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To amplify on Mariano's comment: If $\{U_i\}$ is an open cover of $X$, then there is a convergent Mayer-Vietoris spectral sequence $$ \bigoplus H^p(U_{i_1}\cap \cdots \cap U_{i_q}) \implies H^{p+q}(X).$$ Now use that the Euler characteristic of a spectral sequence, i.e. $\sum_{p,q} (-1)^{p+q}\dim E_{r}^{p,q}$, does not depend on $r$. This proves the first part.

If you don't know spectral sequences then I think you can also do this by the usual Mayer-Vietoris sequence for a cover with two open sets, and induction over the number of opens in your good cover. But I suspect this could be messier combinatorially.

For the second use that $p^{-1}(U_{i_1}\cap \cdots \cap U_{i_q}) \cong (U_{i_1}\cap \cdots \cap U_{i_q}) \times F$ and the Künneth theorem.

Dan Petersen
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  • What is $X$? I haven't understood how is made the Mayer-Vietoris spectral sequece – ArthurStuart Jan 17 '13 at 21:18
  • Where can I find a clean general formulation of the (co)homological MV spectral sequence? Weibel or McCleary doesn't have it. I'm guessing it goes like this: for any subsets $(U_i){i\in I}$ of a topological space $X$ such that their interiors cover $X$, there is a homological spectral sequence of $R$-modules with second page $E^2{p,q}=???$ and converging to $H_{p+q}(X;R)$, and a cohomological spectral sequence of $R$-algebras with second page $E_2^{p,q}=???$ and converging to $H^{p+q}(X;R)$. Is this also true for other topological (co)homology theories? Does $I$ need to be countable? – Leo Jan 09 '14 at 01:24
  • Maybe $E_{p,q}^2=\bigoplus_{I'\subseteq I, |I'|=p}H_q(\bigcap_{i\in I'}U_i)$? Shouldn't there be unions of $U_i$ somewhere? – Leo Jan 09 '14 at 01:28